


6:00 AM

by bobadeluxe



Category: Dungeons and Daddies (Podcast)
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Light Angst, Pre-Canon, Smoking, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:27:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25674325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bobadeluxe/pseuds/bobadeluxe
Summary: Nick and Glenn talk during breakfast, sort of.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 39





	6:00 AM

**Author's Note:**

> Heads up that this is a Trans Nick fic that has a lot to do with him feeling dysphoric about joining the Doodler. (I'm a trans dude, so it's a topic that appeals to me.) It's not discussed in explicit details, and there's no graphic depiction of transphobia or gender dysphoria, but it IS the main topic. So tread lightly if it makes you uncomfy.
> 
> There's the usual brand of Glenn Close's parenting as seen in canon (the absence and the substance uses), but he's not a transphobe dw lol.

For once, his dad is home. Nick has been counting down the days, but now that he's here, he's starting to feel nervous. Does dad get nervous? On the stage or before his performance, maybe? No, probably not. 

Must be the weed.

He's sitting in the kitchen, too occupied with his smoke to notice his son or to eat his breakfast. The bowl of cereal in front of him is all soggy and gross by the time Nick finally mustered up the courage to enter. Dad looks.. either high or hungover, it's hard to tell. Especially when it could be both. On the surface, Nick tries to pass off as nonchalant. A simple, barely audible 'Hey dad' as he approaches the fridge like that was his intention all along.

Nick sneaks a glance toward dad and sees him brightened up. There's a twinkle in his dark eyes as he sees him.

For a brief moment, he looks at Nick and then back to his joint. His hand moves – almost involuntarily, on instinct – to put it out. Then he sees Nick's lack of reaction and decides against it with a shrug to himself.

"Hey kid," dad says with a lopsided grin. "Slept well? Sorry I ate the last of your cereal. I got you food though, it's in the fridge."

Turning back to the fridge, Nick is greeted with the familiar sight of a styrofoam box. Ah yes, leftovers from whatever place The Glenn Close Trio played for. These used to be really exciting for Nick, like the souvenirs dad would bring home. It was.. sweet, that dad still thinks of him while he's away. He would prefer if dad would just be here though, so at one point the souvenirs just kinda turned into a reminder of his absence. Dad must've noticed that he didn't like them anymore, and since then it's all been amazon gift cards. As for the food.. they usually aren't very good. Either they cheaped out on catering services or dad would literally just buy something from a food court. Though occasionally he would steal a bunch of food from Christmas parties. He likes those.

Reheating it becomes so natural now that Nick is just going through the motion without thinking much about it. While waiting for the microwave to do its job, he talks to dad. In a very cool, casual, not-even-trying-at-all fashion.

"How long have you been home?" Nick asks.

"Some time last night." Dad shrugs. "It was pretty late. I didn't wanna wake you up."

"Yeah."  _ Nick kinda wishes he did, though. _

"You good? Got any plans today?"

"Yeah, about that.." _ Just say it. Don't try too hard.  _ "The Doodler is practicing today. I was gonna check them out."

"The Doodler..?"

"It's our school football team. They came up with the name 'cause some kids in my class drew the mascot."

Ugh. That was way too much. He sounded like he cares about it or something.

"Ah, right. It sounded familiar. I don't really keep track with the whole.. PTA thing, you know? It's harshing my vibes."

Nick flinches. "Yeah, I got you."

Dad smirks. "I played football back in highschool."

Now  _ that  _ is unexpected. "Really? You?"

"No, I used to sell weed to the quarterback!" He breaks out into laughter. 

"Oh."

"Haha, yeah.. what, you wanna join them?"

Suddenly, Nick doesn't think it's a good idea anymore. Maybe he doesn't want to play football after all if it ain't cool.

"Hey, it's fine," Dad says, as if able to detect the direction his line of thoughts is heading to. Towards the fucking pit. "You do you."

There is no uncertainty in his voice which – although reassuring – makes Nick feels stupid now. It wasn't supposed to be a big deal. 

"I still need you to sign the permission slip, though." It's not a lie, but he is still talking in circles around  _ it _ all the same.

"Were you waiting for me? You could've signed it as usual, man. If anyone has a problem, tell them to call me. I’ll back you up!"

"Yeah, I know. It's. Uh." Fuck. Not the stutter, damnit. He thought he got that shit out of his system. "I'm not sure if it's – if they will – the coach seems like such a fucking narc, you know? His kid is on the team, too."

"So what? You think he's so petty he's not gonna let you be on the– Oh."

Saved by the bell – or rather the microwave beeping – Nicks turns to get his food. When he sits down opposite of dad, his gaze is still fixated on his reheated burger. Hopefully it looks like he's just really hungry.

Dad is quiet for a while as he eats. The silence is unnerving. When he speaks up again though, his voice softens. If it's not just Nick's imagination.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I'll talk to them, alright?"

Gotta be a rhetorical question, 'cause Nick couldn't answer now with a mouthful of burger, could he? Yeah, he couldn't. He doesn't have to.

"I'll sort things out. You just sit back and chill, let's dad work with his magic."

"Uh-huh," Nicks mumbles between bites. 

It's silent again, but this time it's a good kind of silence – the kind he usually feels around dad when words don't need to be said. The burger becomes a bit more bearable to eat.

“Damn, this takes me back,” Dad says with his usual, quiet chuckle. “My highschool’s locker rooms were  _ so  _ fucking gross. One time I saw a whole family of rats, like five of ‘em.”

Nick grimaces. “Come on dad, I’m eating here.”

“So I said fuck that, right? I’m not gonna change in there. I don’t want  leptospirosis or whatever. Instead I just wore my gym clothes  _ under  _ my clothes. Worked like a charm.”

“Huh.” Nick blinks. “Is that… uncomfortable?”

“It’s nothing compared to wearing my Harley-Davidson jacket during the summer, I can tell you that much.” A self-satisfied grin spreads on his face. “Though I never did much in gym class..”

“Except selling weed to the quarterback.”

“Except selling weed to the quarterback, yeah. I never needed to shower. You would though huh, since you’re gonna be their star player!” Abruptly, he just says, “Did you know the football team has their own bathroom. WIth private shower stalls and everything.”

Well, that’s the most indirect his anecdote could afford to be. Nick would cringe that the elephant in the room finally gets addressed, if he wasn’t caught by surprise.

“No, I didn’t, but how do you know that?” Nick asks with a frown.

“So I might’ve kept up with the PTA meetings a little.” Dad admits with no small amount of hesitation. He looks off to the other way, outside the kitchen’s window. "At least when it doesn't clash with my tour."

Now Nick is just confused. “And…why would you lie about that?”

“No reason I guess,” he just blurts out. “Your mom used to handle that sort of thing, is all. Baked sales and fall festivals. Doesn’t feel like me. Nevermind, It’s not important. Like I said, I’ll take care of it, yeah? No one will give you any problem.”

“Okay.”

“How is the burger?” Dad asks, and Nick sees the smoke more than his face. It’s obscuring everything.

So maybe the weed doesn’t help all that much.

“It’s great.”

**Author's Note:**

> Glenn is my favorite, but you couldn't look pass his bad parenting. I don't wanna just make him 'good' though so I guess I settled somewhere inbetween. I hope he gets a proper arc like the other dads and their kids. I have troubles putting it into words, but growing up asian you see a lot of parents whose kids are just obligation to them and despite being there/providing for them they ain't never gonna develop any affection for their kids as a person. So an asian father that actually likes his kid?????????? Bruh you're halfway there. Now just you know... do your fatherly duties. Step up, as ron would say.
> 
> Ironically enough Freddie played a shitty dad character in VGHS too, but he was ASTROCIOUS. NO saving grace whatsoever. In comparison Glenn is a fucking angel, so here's to hoping they won't do my boys dirty and he'll get some character development soon.


End file.
